One morning I set out with the idea to take photographs of objects with structure and strong colors. But things most often turn out differently to what you think.
I’ve been on Ukunda’s main road for a while without finding anything to inspire me. So I decided to go on an adventure down small dirt roads.
After a short while already a flock of barefooted children followed me, calling Jambo (=Hello) and demanding sweets or money.
One of the boys, their leader as it seemed, whispered in my ear how he wishes for a ball.
I liked this idea and to my question whether all others would be able to play too, he answered that they had a Football team but no ball anymore.
So we set out to buy a ball and the whole team followed right behind me.
After, the very happy children lead me to their Football field. An uneven playing field amidst clay huts, two poles and a string between them as goal. They also asked for a name for their Football team, seeing as the lion is the most famous and strong animal around and their village is Kibundani, a district of Ukanda with a country feel, I decided on Kibundani Lions, or in Suahili:
Kibundani Simba
Happiness can be this simple.

May I introduce you to beautiful Leilani. She is 12 years old and was born with a genetic defect called cri-du-chat-syndrome. It is a rare genetic disorder due to a missing part (deletion) of chromosome 5. Its name is a French term (cat-cry or call of the cat) referring to the characteristic cat-like cry of affected children. I know her already for 5 years and she really touches my heart with her uncompromising way to show her feelings. She is pure and innocent. She is blessed with a loving family who always stand by her side.

What strikes me again and again here in China is that the elderly care very touching for their grandchildren.
The downside of this is that many children have to grow up without their parents who work as migrant workers somewhere unreachable far away. What it will have for consequences shows only within a couple of years when the children have grown-up and have children themselves.

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